Assault suspect caught in Carrick

Mark Mason Jr.

A 15-year-old girl was sexually assaulted in a Carrick Cemetery last week.

At approximately 10 p.m. on Monday, July 23, the girl reported she was walking in the 600 block of Brownsville Road when she encountered a man who began talking with her. The man grabbed the victim by the arm and led her to St. Vianney Cemetery, in the 1100 block of Brownsville Road, where he sexually assaulted her.

The victim was able to grab the suspect's wallet, which he had removed prior to the assault, and ran to her home where she told her mother what happened. The mother called 911 to report the assault to police.

Pittsburgh Police from Zone 3 responded and were assisted by Mount Oliver Police. During the initial stages of the investigation, officers went to the cemetery in order to locate the crime scene. There they found 39-year-old Mark Mason Jr. of Turtle Creek sleeping in the cemetery. He was positively identified as the man who attacked the girl.

The Pittsburg Police Sex Assault Squad charged Mr. Mason with rape, aggravated indecent assault and indecent assault. He was then taken to the Allegheny County Jail.